How many colonies did the Declaration of Independence describe as free and independent states?

The Declaration of Independence described thirteen colonies as free and independent states.

Those colonies were British settlements along the Atlantic coast of North America. They ranged from New Hampshire in the north to Georgia in the south. The Declaration’s original title referred to “the thirteen united States of America,” reflecting the political transformation announced in 1776.

The number thirteen is sometimes confused with the voting details surrounding adoption. On July 4, twelve colonial delegations voted for the Declaration, while New York abstained because its delegation had not yet received authorization. New York later joined the unanimous declaration.

The thirteen colonies did not form a uniform society. They had different economies, religions, laws, and political traditions. Their cooperation grew through the Continental Congress and the Revolutionary War. After independence, the states remained linked first under the Articles of Confederation and later under the Constitution.